Hair drying apparatus



April 21, 1936'- v. c. NoRQUlsT HAIR DRYNG APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 2, 1955 April 21, 1936. v C, NORQWST 2,037,998

HAIR DRYING APPARATUS Filed March 2, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 21, 1936 PATENT 4OFFICE mm name. APPARATUS Victor C. Norquist, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to Butler Manufacturing Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application March 2, 1933, Serial No. 659,250

2 Claims. (Cl. 126-410) My invention relates to a hair drying apparatus and more' particularly to a hot air generator which forms the central source of heated air for a plurality of individual hair drying helmets.

In beauty parlors at present, when it is desired to dry hair, individual hair driers are used which are .provided with electric heating elements. 'I'hese individual hair driers are expensive and are, furthermore, very inemcient in their opera-l tion. When the devices are turned on, a considerable time interval must elapse before the temperature required to heat the air is reached, thus consuming both time and electricity. The 'individual hair driers constituting separate sources of heat, result in an objectionably increased temperature, especially during warm weather.

One object of my invention is to provide a hair drying apparatus in which a pluralityv of Ahair y,drying'helmets may be used simultaneously with a central source of hot air.

Another object of my invention is to provide an economical and eiilcient means -of generating and supplying hot air.

A further object of my invention is to provide a v hot air generator which may be of general utility and may be used for heating homes and for other purposes in which hot air is required.

Further objects of my inventionwill appear y from the following description.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application, Serial No. 645,249, illed December 1, 1932.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instant specication and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views;

Figure l is an elevation of my hot air generator connected to a portion oi the hair drying system.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of my hot air generator.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the linel Figure 9 is a front elevation of the thermostatlc heatcontrol element. v

. Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the line Ill-I of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 II-II of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic/ view of the electric connections of my hot air generator.

In general, myinvention contemplates the provision of a gas red burner discharging the products of combustion through a cochleate or anfractuous passageway providing an elongated heat exchange surface. The twisting passageway is formed within a casting which is provided with a chamber adapted to house a centrifugal 15 member.. 'I'he air in passing tlirogh'the member will become heated by heat exchange. The construction is such that a large amount of heat exchange surface is provided. The casting is positioned in a casing with an air inlet to the heat exchange member so positioned that the'incoming air to the casing will pass around the exterior of the casting. This will serveto preliminarily heat the air entering the heat exchange member and, at the same time, prevent the radiation of heat into the space occupied by the generator'. I

provide a thermostatic control element which governs a circuit including a valve which governs a gas supply to the burner, as well as a transformer to insure that the gas will always be ignited while the Valve is open and the blower running. k

More particularly referring now to the drawings, a standard I of any suitable shape forms a pedestal-like support for-a casing 2. 'Ihe casing is provided with insulating material 3 and houses a heat exchange member 4. The heat exchange member comprises a casting which is formed with 40 a cochleate passageway which will be more fully described hereinafter. In the center of the casting 4 an enlarged chamber 5 is provided, in which a blower fan 6 is positioned, This can be readily seen by reference to Figure 3 and it will be ob- 45 served that the arrangement is such as to form a centrifugal air blower. 'Ihe heat is supplied by a Bunsen burner 'l which discharges its flame into the cochleate passageway. I provide a baille plate 8 immediately above the burner to deiiect 50 the products .oi combustion so that they will travel through both branches of the anfractuous passageway. The casing 2 is provided with an opening furnished with a cover plate 9 giving access to glass or mica insert I0. The cover plate way 34 'out hereinbefore, controls 9 is provided with suitable openings I I through which the flame issuing from the burner 1 may be observed from the exterior of the casing. The gas to the burner 1 is supplied through pipe I2 which is controlled by valve I3. Valve I3 is operated bya solenoid I4 as will be more fully described hereinafter. The pedestal is formed with louver openings I5 to admit air to support the combustion of the gas in the burner 1. 'Ihe blower fan 6 is driven by an electric motor I B in the circuit of which is interposed a thermostat I1 to transformer I8. The thermostatic element I1 is interposed in a passageway I3 through which the heated air from the heat exchanger member 4 is thrown by blower 6. The secondary coil of the transformer I8 is connected to a spark plug 20 ypositioned immediately above the burner 1 to insure that the ame is always lit to avoid the danger of escaping gas. 'Ihe casing 2 is provided with a large opening covered by a screen 2|. 'I'he air to be heated enters the casing through screen 2| and must pass around the exterior of the heat exchange member to the opening 22 thereof leading to the blower fan 6.

'I'he heat exchange member 2 is shown in detail in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8. The flame issuing from burner 1 is split into two parts by the baffle plate 8 and passes up branch passages 30 and 3| asvcan be seen by reference to Figures 3 and 6. These passages are provided with baille members 32 to lengthen the path of the hot products of combustion. The gases meet at the top of the heat exchange member and cross over through passage 33, and are redirected through annular passageway 34 as caribe seen in Figure 7. The gases, after passing.,L through passageway 34, cross over through-lpassageway 35 and emerge through flue pipe l36ffroz`nxwhich they are discharged to the atmosphere."I I t will be observed by reference to Figure 4 that passagehousing. 'I'he direction of counteriiow relation. The extremely long path of hot gas ow results in a heat exchange of high.

order. In practice, the diierence between the temperature of the flue gases and the temperature of the air heated is but a few degrees indicating a very eiiicient heat exchange. The heat exchange member, furthermore, is extremely compact and accompanies a very small space. In describing the peculiar arrangement of the passageways, I prefer to use the term cochleate or anfractuous. It is to be understood, of course, that other cochleate or anfractuous passageways of slightly different forms are within the scope of my invention. 'I'he air, after entering opening 22 is whirled around chamber 5 with increasing speed and is discharged through the straight passageway I9.

Referring now to Figure 12 in which the electrical connections are shown diagrammatically, the conductor cable 4I) comprises lead wires 4I and 42 connected to any suitable source o1' potential. The switch 43 closes the circuit through thermostat I1. ing of the switch 43 at once places the motor IG across the line so that it will run at all times while the switch 43 is closed. The thermostat is in series with solenoid I4 which, as was pointed valve I3 of the gas supply. The primary 44 of transformer I8 is also in series with the thermostat I1. The secondary of the transformer I8 is connected to the spark surrounds the blower inlet. 22 while passageways 3l and 30 surround the blower 'fan 1 the flow of hot-gases to the flow of the air to be heated is substantially It will be observed that the clos-- plug 20 as was hereinbefore described. One electrode of the spark plug is grounded and the other end of the secondary is also grounded at 45. It will be obvious, therefore, that, if the temperature of the hot air is below a predetermined point so that the circuit through the thermostat is closed, the solenoid I4 will open the gas supply and will spark the spark plug 20 igniting the ilame. The thermostat I1 may be of any suitable construction. I prefer to use the one shown in Figures 9, 10, and 11 which consists of a spiral metallic member 50 carrying a mercury switch 5 I The initial position of the mercury switch 5I may be adjusted by rotating the housing 52 which carries the assembly. A pointer 53 shows the position of the mercury switch, the indication H meaning high and the indication L meaning low.

In operation, when it is desired to obtain hot air from my generator, the switch Inasmuch as the air will be of such temperature that the thermostat I1 will be closed, this will supply gas to the burner 1 which will be lit by the spark from plug 20. 'I'he motor will drive the blower 6 which will take air through screen 2| and blow it through the heat exchange member. 'I'he hot products of combustion from the burner 1 will take the path through the anfractuous passageway described hereinbefore. The air will become heated sageway I9 and used for any suitable purpose. The flue gases will be withdrawn through ow pipe 36. Should the temperature of the air exceed a predetermined amount, the thermostat I1 will interrupt the I4 to close. 'Ihe motor will keep running until the temperature of the air reaches the predetermined low point, when the thermostat will again close a. circuit through solenoid I4, thus opening valve I3, and at the same time, causing a spark to issue from plug 20 to light the gas.

f `It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be em- `rDloy'ed without reference therefore, to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: I

1. A hot air generator nation a casing, a heat exchange member mounted within said casing in spaced relation thereto, said member being passages in heat exchange relation, a fuel burner arranged to' discharge gases of combustion into said gas passage, a blower within said air pasair inlet to the air passage in said heat exchanger,

43 is closed.

and be taken from pascircuit Which will permit valve comprising in combiformed with air and gas- 

